ArteCitta Project Blog

[antonio-Brech]

http://artecittaprojectblog.wordpress.com/

EXAMPLE-Meta Graphic-Meta Sigca.

Integrated management of applied knowledge

 META SIGCA is a software that allows the creation of graphical compositions

and animations based on superimposition of geometrical shapes derived
from rectangle primitives.

When launching the application the user is presented with a black, empty
window. This is the canvas. There interface is originally hidden so to
maximize the viewing area.

By pressing the right button of the mouse the menu can be opened or closed.

Menu

The menu is composed of:

Several tabs: which include all the features present on this software.
Variable set of controls including buttons, toggles and sliders: these
controls command the several parameters for each of the tabs and vary
according to the selected tab.
A Time Line: allows to Play or Pause the application as well as move
along the timeline's play head.

Tabs and Functions

The available tabs are and their functions are:

Create: controls the creation and deletion of Shapes.

The available options are:

1. New: Creates a new Shape with default properties

2. New Random: Create a new Shape with random properties

3. Delete: deletes the selected Shape

Shape: controls the properties of the selected Shape pertaining to its
format

The available options are:

1. Width: sets the width of the selected Shape

2. Height: sets the height of the selected Shape

3. Rotation: sets the rotation of the selected Shape

4. Thickness: sets the thickness of the selected Shape

5. Corner: sets the radius of the corner choosing between different
degrees of roundness

Color: controls the color of the selected Shape

The available options are:

1. Red: sets the red component of the selected Shape's color

2. Green: sets the green component of the selected Shape's color

3. Blue: sets the blue component of the selected Shape's color

4. Alpha: sets the transparency of the selected Shape

5. Brightness: applies a brightness transformation to the Shape's color

6. Contrast: applies a contrast transformation to the shape's color

Background: controls the background's color

The available options are:

1. Red: sets the red component of the background's color

2. Blue: sets the blue component of the background's color

3. Green: sets the green component of the background's color

4. Random: sets the background color to a randomly selected color

5. Average: sets the background color to be the average color of
every Shape present on the canvas.

TimeLine: controls the properties of the Time Line

The available options are:

1. Loop: sets wether the Time Line plays in a loop or not

2. Speed: sets the play head speed ( to perform fast forward or slow
motion )

Blend: controls how the Shape's colors are blended together

The available options are:

1. Additive: sets additive blending of the colors

2. Normal: sets normal blending (blending is dependent on the Alpha
value of the Shape's color )

3. Subtractive: sets subtractive blending

4. None: disables any blending

Glow: controls a glow filter on the Shapes

The available options are:

1. Strength: the strength of the glow

2. Size: the amount of pixels that the glow reaches

File: options for file input and output

The available options are:

1. Save: saves the current composition to a file

2. Load: loads a previously saved composition

3. Export Image: saves an image of the current composition. The user
can define the image format by setting the file's extension (for example
by defining “image.jpg” the image will be save in JPEG format). The
default format is PNG

4. Export Image HiRes: exports a high resolution (4096x3072) image of
the composition. The save formats and rules apply as for the Export Image

5. Export Sequence: exports a sequence of the current composition
animation. It plays the Time Line and exports an image for every frame of
the animation creating a numerated image sequence. The same image formats
are available as in the Image Export

6. Export Sequence HiRes: exports a high resolution (4096x3072)
sequence of the composition animation. It plays the Time Line and exports
a high resolution (4096x3072) image for every frame of the animation
creating a numerate high resolution image sequence. The same image formats
are available as in the Image Export

Edititing

After Shapes are created they can be selected by pressing the mouse with
the left button over the desired Shape. When a Shape is selected Size and
Rotation handles appear over the shape. By dragging these handles the user
can changes the Shape's with, height and rotation. It is also possible to
change its position by dragging a selected shape.

Antonio BRECH

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/e.meta/